Understand how spaces can be optimised to support a range of teaching and learning approaches

What’s it all about?

The Ministry of Education shares the OECD’s holistic view of learning environments as an ecosystem that includes learners, educators, families/whānau, communities, content and resources like property and technology. It’s about everything working together to support teachers and learners and ensure our young people are confident, connected, actively involved, lifelong learners (National Curriculum).

An innovative learning environment is an environment where the National Curriculum is being expressed in the way it is intended. It is capable of evolving and adapting as educational practices evolve and change – thus remaining future focused. This reflects the fact that education needs to keep pace with the world we are preparing young people for.

Innovative learning environments are learner-focussed and emphasise valued learner outcomes. They encourage collaboration and inquiry, both for learners and teachers, and allow teachers to teach in the style that best suits the needs of diverse learners.

There have been some teachers who haven’t quite understood me as a learner. Here I always have access to a teacher if I need to work through something… I have worked with heaps of people that I never thought I would work with through breakthrough. That has taught me social skills and what to do when there is an issue. You learn how to fix it and respect other people and their opinions.